Bye Houston, in 2013

MLB formally approved the sale of the Astros to Jim Crane on Thursday. What does that mean for the Reds, you ask?

As part of the deal, the Astros will move out of the National League Central and to the American League West beginning with the 2013 season.

That’s one less division rival for the Reds to play in what’s currently the only six-team division in MLB. In the short term as 106-loss Houston rebuilds, it’s not exactly a big plus for the Reds. But over the long term, this should be a good development for the Reds.

This also means there will be 15 teams in each league and Interleague play throughout the year in 2013. That should be interesting.

*One other quick note: Brandon Phillips tweeted he is headed to Cincinnati today. Of course, he tweeted yesterday he was hoping for good news in contract talks. The trip is probably for personal reasons, because I have been told that there is no deal done yet.

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Of course, the Reds should sign Phillips long-term and seek out a closer too (I hope Cordero), but I would be interested in what you thought about the Reds’ pitching coach and hitting coach. It seems that the Reds don’t put the ball in play (strike out a lot) and the pitchers don’t pound the zone. This has to reflect on the coaching. How are decisions about the coaching staff made and by who? Thanks.

I guess there’s no use bellyaching about it now, but I detest interleague play and have since its inception. The thought that it is about to be expanded instead of cut back or eliminated altogether is nauseating to me and ought to be to other baseball purists and traditionalists. Maybe they put a few more butts in the seats with this, but I know one that won’t be there after next year. Oh well, they probably calculate that us old “farts” will die off soon anyway.

For tradition’s sake, this might make some sense, but baseball, even our grand game, has long since abandoned tradition in favor of the almighty buck. These moves are more geographically cohesive, so savings on travel and the hope of creating new, proximate rivalries that might also generate an extra buck or two.

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